Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has expressed his disappointment regarding the recent cases of alleged power abuse and corruption within the Customs personnel at KLIA Cargo. These cases have reportedly led to losses of up to RM2 billion for the government.
Anwar mentioned that while the case only involves a small portion of the Customs Department, the financial impact of the losses is staggering. This issue was highlighted during the Prime Minister’s Department monthly gathering on April 1.
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Addressing the issue of corruption, Anwar emphasized the seriousness of the matter and the need for all efforts to be directed towards combating and preventing corruption and leakages.
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Anwar highlighted the significant losses caused by corruption, stating that in this case, the losses amounted to RM2 billion. He stressed the importance of addressing leakages, such as those resulting from smuggling activities, to save billions of ringgit.
Recently, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) conducted a special operation named Ops Samba 2.0, resulting in the arrest of 34 Customs officers at KLIA Cargo. These officers are believed to be involved in smuggling activities that have led to the RM2 billion revenue leakage over the past two years.
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The MACC, along with the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) and Bank Negara, collaborated in the investigation and found that the officers received RM4.7 million from a syndicate to facilitate the smuggling of various goods like tobacco, cigarettes, liquor, health products, and vehicle spare parts.
